SITTWE — Narinjara News has compiled data showing that at least 124 people were killed and 40 others injured by Myanmar junta airstrikes across Arakan Army (AA) controlled territories in Rakhine and Chin States throughout March.
The casualties, including women and children, were a result of intensified aerial bombardments in Ann, Kyaukphyu, and Paletwa Townships.
On March 29, the Myanmar Air Force conducted three bombing raids and two rocket attacks on Krong Chaung village in Paletwa Township.
According to the AA, seven civilians, including four children under the age of 16, were killed, and four others were wounded. Local sources confirmed that there was no active fighting near the village at the time of the strike.
The deadliest incident of the month occurred on March 8 when junta aircraft bombed a prisoner of war (POW) camp in the Dar Letchaung area of Ann Township, where a former western Military command was located before being seized by the AA.
This strike resulted in the death of 116 prisoners and injuries to 32 others, making it one of the highest mass-casualty events in recent months.
Targeted attacks continued on March 19 when a combined air and sea assault on Do Taung village in Kyaukphyu Township resulted in the death of an internally displaced person (IDP).
Just days later, on March 23, the military deployed four "suicide drones" against Sanai town in Kyaukphyu, injuring four civilians, including a child and two women.
As the military junta faces mounting territorial losses in Rakhine (Arakan) State, observers believe it has shifted its focus towards targeting civilian infrastructure with heavy artillery, naval strikes, and aerial warfare.
This escalation seems to be a scorched-earth strategy aimed at regaining control of townships currently under AA administration.
The violence in March follows a bloody February, during which 39 civilians were killed and 45 injured across the region. Recent data suggests that between March 2021 and February 2026, Rakhine State has been the second most heavily bombed region in Myanmar since the military coup.
